So much history, and so much at stake; whatever the outcome at the Millennium Stadium this afternoon, it will be a great occasion.

How can it fail to be? The Grand Slam, the Six Nations and the Triple Crown are all up for grabs. Rugby matches don't come much bigger than this.

Wales, after a stuttering start to the tournament, have shown plenty of character to keep alive their title ambitions.

England, meanwhile, have maintained their upward trajectory since Stuart Lancaster took over, their unconvincing display against Italy notwithstanding.

Now they find themselves one match away from a first Grand Slam since their annus mirabilis of 2003.

The size of their task cannot be underestimated.

Not only will they face a resurgent Wales, full of confidence after victory away to Scotland last weekend; they must also do what no England team has managed previously: that is, to win the Grand Slam in Cardiff.

Five of their 12 Slams have been won away from home: three in Paris, one at Murrayfield and one in Dublin.

Wales after their win against Italy

The permutations are thus: an England victory will secure the Slam, regardless of the margin; an England defeat by six points or fewer would be enough for them to win the Six Nations; if they lose by seven points but outscore Wales by three tries or more, they would also win the title.

But, a Wales victory by seven points or more, providing they stay ahead of England on tournament tries (7 to 5 so far), would see Wales retain the title.

Oh, and there's one more: If Wales win by seven points but England score two more tries then the title would be shared. Clear?

I said at the beginning that it would be a great occasion. But will it be a great match? That's something nobody can predict.

If I had to hazard a guess, I would say it will be brutal, nail-biting and desperately close, with point-scoring at a premium.

That is, after all, the pattern which has been set throughout the tournament.

Penalties rather than tries have been settling matches: so far there have been 31 tries compared with 72 penalties, an unhealthy imbalance.

At Murrayfield alone last weekend an astonishing 28 penalties were awarded, a Six Nations record.

This has merely served to underline the impression that international rugby has become solely about brute force, with the finer subtleties now a thing of the past.

Barry John in 1971

This feeling was brought home to me earlier in the week while watching a poignant documentary about the great Wales fly half Barry John.

Known in his heyday simply as the King, John retired 40 years ago, at the peak of his powers.

The footage showed him ghosting between players, leaving them clutching at air. He seemed to find space where there was none.

But where are those pulse-quickening arts of the sidestep, the dummy and the feint now?

Modern players barely consider going round an opponent; the sole aim is to hammer into them as hard as possible, setting up yet another interminable phase. Progress? I think not.

So while being impressed by the extraordinary fitness and physicality on display at the Millennium Stadium this afternoon, a part of me will be mourning the absence of the kind of brilliance that once brought crowds to their feet and at which Barry John was the undisputed master.